Occasional thoughts on science, politics and media [ in Algeria ].

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Dear “opposition”… you’re part of the problem.

Watching figures from the so-called opposition stand out of the crowd during the 12th of February pro-democracy march in Algiers was frankly off putting.

Poor Algeria and poor Algerians. Not only are we doomed with an old system and an old president running the country with the same old bureaucracy, but we also have to deal with these all too old “opposition” figures. And no, this is not me being ageist, not at all.

Anyone with an even passing knowledge of our culture would know how much respect we have for our elderly. But there is no wisdom to be learnt from these folks and there is no place for them in the future of Algeria, really. They both had their chance, and they simply blew it – ironically, while standing at opposite ends of a decade long civil war; One calling for the illegitimate interruption of the electoral process of 1991 by the armed forces, the other calling for armed struggle against the state. One with clear regionalist values dividing Algerians on a delusional basis of race, the other with extremist views dividing Algerians on the basis of religious orientation. And on the 12th of February they show their faces as united leaders for change.. It’s just very off putting and bleak.

Be not mistaken, the majority, if not all, Algerians want change that see their society prosper, but they either stayed home on the 12th, or left the protest for their homes when you showed up – surrounded by your bodyguards, standing on the closest thing to a podium you could find so as to make sure we – or history – can see that you’re there… well, we did see you..

Next time, do us all a big favour and *stay home*. Because we’re tired of all of you, the Algerian youth is tired of Algeria’s political scene from which they have been so marginalised; ruling system and its “opposition” altogether, all must change. Because the longer you postepone taking this little advice on board, the longer we’ll have to wait for the change we all so desperately seek.

the algerian youth have marginalised themselves from the political scene, and here is the price we are paying for their negligence of what has become a matter of life or death: to be or not to be; regretably our youth have chosen not to be.. at least for now. that’s the message i read from them not showing up at a time when our neibours in Tunisia, Morocco and other arab countries were waiting for the revolution of a people whose land knows how the blood of martyres can inject life into the souls of the indifferent.
we tried but… we are sorry for the arab peoples who counted on us, we are sorry for those of you who live outside Algeria and who believed in us, we are soory.. we failed even before we start.. sorry

You saying we failed even before we start? Do October 88 and the bloody decade ring a bell? What were those neighbours and Arab people doing in 1988? They are 22 years late mate!

It’s really a strange comment, and you say sorry because you feel “we” disappointed these Arab people who believed in “us”? Is it a game or something? No, I am not sorry. Sure we need a change in Algeria but not just because the rest of the world thinks we should, and not with those who called for feb 12 march.

“at least for now” as you say hicmet… i think there is still hope. we are seeing tensions escalating; students, medical staff, and of course people suffering from the housing problem have all recently taken out to the streets. each group is claiming for things that are specific to their areas of concern, but nonetheless people are gadually becoming more explicit about their discontent. there is, i think, hope that this will converge into something bigger. the march of the 12 of Feb might have been a failure or a success depending on one’s perspective, but the escalating tensions and the decreasing fear of protest are hopfully signs that things could move forward in a positive direction. it is still early days.

I dont see how it would turn into something bigger since no one on the political scene or *intellectual one* (humhum…you know what I mean) is able to offer a proper new project for the people and the land…I dont see why I would take the power off Their hands if I have no idea about what to do with it afterwards.

Thanks for your comment Djohar. I simply don’t subscribe to this idea, which i find patronising – reminds me of our goverment’s policies in the 90s (and else where); either me or you get something worse… the uncompromising choice of the lesser of two evils..